Hepatitis Australia News October 2021 Welcome the October Hepatitis Australia News Update. October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month, which aims to increase awareness around the importance of liver health and the causes of liver disease and liver cancer. Did you know that in Australia, around 2,800 people are estimated to be diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021? This year around 2,400 people will lose their lives to the disease. Unfortunately, hepatitis B and hepatitis C remain the leading causes of liver cancer in Australia. Cancer Australia has released a number of statistics regarding the impacts of liver cancer on Australians. It is so momentous to have Cancer Australia’s engagement with liver cancer. Viral hepatitis elimination is cancer prevention. For more information, visit our website: Hepatitis B Hepatitis C In this edition: Second National Hepatitis Elimination Forum Ministerial Advisory Committee on BBVs and STI Roundtable outcome: national hepatitis B lived experience policy forum to be established Consultation open on the draft Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan APSAD Scientific Alcohol and Drug Conference 2021: Scholarships available and Satellite event Report now available: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination International Workshop on HBV Cure 2021 Report launch: Telehealth for hepatitis C treatment Abstracts open: World Hepatitis Summit 2022 Expression of interest: Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy Second National Hepatitis Elimination Forum Following great success last year, Hepatitis Australia is hosting its second National Hepatitis Elimination Forum. This year’s forum will focus on the national hepatitis strategies which will undergo review in 2022. The national hepatitis strategies are endorsed by all Health Ministers and sets Australia’s strategic framework. The next iteration of the strategies will run until 2030. The forum will showcase a series of short presentations to inspire attendees to think about and discuss: What policy levers do we need in place to achieve elimination by 2030? How will we ensure that no-one is left behind? Day 1 will focus on hepatitis C and Day 2 will focus on hepatitis B. There will also be networking opportunities and the chance to connect with colleagues across the country. The forum will be held on 18 and 19 November, and registrations are due by 1 November 2021 to ensure all attendees will receive their event welcome pack in time. Registration is limited to Hepatitis Australia and its members. Additional registrations may be possible, please liaise with the CEO of your state or territory hepatitis organisation if you would like to attend Ministerial Advisory Committee on BBVs and STI Roundtable outcome: national hepatitis B lived experience policy forum to be established Following a recommendation of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on BBVs and STI National Hepatitis B Roundtable in March 2021, the Australian Department of Health and Hepatitis Australia have negotiated to establish a national hepatitis B policy forum for people with lived experience.A newly formed leadership group, made up of strong advocates with lived experience of hepatitis B, will commence work with Hepatitis Australia in 2022.Watch this space in the new year! Consultation open on the draft Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan Consultation closes 9 November 2021. The Australian government is calling for stakeholder input on the draft Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan. This is a key opportunity to ensure that communicable disease prevention and responses, including viral hepatitis, are included in long-term Australian Government health policy. This is consistent with item 6 from the Action Plan endorsed at #VH2021, the Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference. The focus of the 10 Year Plan is on Australia’s primary health care services provided through general practices, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS), community pharmacies, allied health services, mental health services, community health and community nursing services and dental and oral health services. The Plan also focuses on the integration of primary health care with hospitals and other parts of the health system. Hepatitis Australia will make a submission, building on advocacy undertaken by the national BBV and STI peak bodies to date. Our submission will focus on ensuring there is sufficient coverage of communicable diseases, including broader than just in emergency response contexts. This will help ensure that there is sufficient coverage of the fundamental role of primary health care – including that which is community or peer led – in Australia’s communicable disease national response. Feedback on the draft plan is now open for individuals and organisations until 11:59pm, 9 November 2021 View the draft plan APSAD Scientific Alcohol and Drug Conference 2021 – Scholarships available and Satellite event Hepatitis Australia is delighted to partner with APSAD to provide scholarships to support First Nations people and people with lived experience to register for the conference. For details about the scholarships email: [email protected]. Hepatitis Australia members are encouraged to take up this opportunity.Conference: Date: Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 November 2021 Time: 9am to 5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time Registration link As part of the APSAD Satellite program, there will be a free training event on Saturday 6 November aimed at providing participants with the knowledge and confidence to increase the management of HCV in alcohol and other drug settings. This course aims to provideâŻaddiction physicians, general practitioners, nurse practitioners, and other practitioners working in drug and alcohol settingsâŻwith the skills and knowledge to diagnose HCV, manage comorbidities and treat HCV.Satellite event: • Date: Saturday 6 November 2021• Time: 10am to 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time• Registration link Report now available: Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination The Burnet and Kirby Institutes have released the third annual “Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination report”.This report brings together key data to provide an overview of our progress towards eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. It brings together national data from across the sector, highlights gaps in our knowledge and informs future directions in Australia’s hepatitis C elimination response. Report Launch Today: Date: Wednesday 27 October 2021 Time: starting soon 12:00pm to 1:00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time Registration link Highlights of the report will be presented at a launch event on Wednesday 27 October. This will be followed by a panel discussion, including Hepatitis Australia CEO, Carrie Fowlie. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the dissemination of the report in the sector and beyond Read the report International Workshop on HBV Cure 2021 Since 2014, the International Workshop on HBV Cure has been a scientific platform that acts as a catalyst to accelerate the progress for achieving a cure. The purpose of the workshop is to inform the participants about the developments in the possibilities to find a cure for hepatitis B. The field of hepatitis B treatment is undergoing major changes and is on the verge of a paradigm shift. The many new treatment options that are becoming available are providing great hopes for decreasing the burden of the disease, simplifying treatment, and potentially curing and eradicating hepatitis B infection.Outstanding speakers from around the globe will share the newest therapeutic options for viral hepatitis, and experts will discuss the path forward to cure this deadly disease, leading to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Date: Tuesday 9 to Wednesday 10 November 2021 Time: 1:00am to 4:30am Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time / 9:00am to 12:30pm EST Registration link Unfortunately, the timing is difficult for Australian viewers, however recordings of presentations and discussions will be available on the virtual workshop portal shortly after the workshop is over for registered attendees. Hepatitis Australia members can receive a 25% discount on registrations. Please contact [email protected] if you wish to access this discount Find out more Report launch: Telehealth for hepatitis C treatment The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society’s (ARSCHS) is hosting a launch event for this qualitative interview-based project, which aimed to understand the benefits, limitations, and effects of the use of telehealth for hepatitis C treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.The report synthesises the main findings of the project and makes recommendations to support the hepatitis C sector in optimising the use of telehealth where it is effective and valuable. Date: Thursday 11 November 2021 Time: 1:30pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time Registration link Hepatitis Australia CEO, Carrie Fowlie, will join a group of panellists to discuss the implications of the research findings and consider how the recommendations might inform sector development and the uptake of telehealth View event Abstracts open: World Hepatitis Summit 2022 Don’t forget to submit your abstract for the World Hepatitis Summit by 14 December 2021. The theme of the World Hepatitis Summit 2022 is “Achieving the elimination of viral hepatitis within evolving health systems”.The event will feature speakers working to support the people and communities impacted by viral hepatitis at global, regional and national levels. The program will provide a forum for people and organisations to share innovative practices in technology and service delivery on the global stage.The World Hepatitis Summit welcomes abstracts on hepatitis A, B, C, D and E in all categories. They particularly encourage submissions from civil society organisations and people with lived experience, which closely aligns with the work of our members View event Expression of interest: Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy Closing date: Thursday 4th November 2021Hepatitis Australia is seeking an evaluation expert to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for ongoing implementation by the organisation. The M&E Framework will support Hepatitis Australia to embed evaluative practice; measure progress against its Strategic Plan; report against its organisational workplan and implement recommendations from a recently completed organisational evaluation.Hepatitis Australia, incorporated in 1997, is the national peak community organisation to progress national action on issues of importance to people impacted by viral hepatitis.The objectives of the consultancy sought are: To develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework that, when implemented, will be able to capture suitable quantitative and qualitative information for Hepatitis Australia to evaluate its work and progress to its Strategic Plan To develop any templates / evaluation tools that could be used by staff to implement the M&E Framework (e.g. members or post event surveys) To improve the evaluation culture and capabilities within Hepatitis Australia To standardise evaluation processes across the organisation so that they are efficient for staff to implement How to applyPlease provide a costed proposal by 4 November 2021 outlining your demonstrated experience and capacity to complete the project and meet the deliverables. The chosen applicant must be available to commence work immediately. For further information email Carrie Fowlie, CEO, Hepatitis Australia or call 0499 775 456 View EOI Manage Cookie Preferences